Dear Sir,

Christmastime in Bermuda! What a special time of year it is. People seem friendlier than any other time of year — except maybe at Cup Match! When you greet someone with a “Good morning” or “Hello”, they are apt to reply and sound like they mean it.

I often think back to when my son was off the island at university and he came home for the holiday. How special to have him back home, if only for a week or two.

When the weather finally cools down and we get out the sweaters and jackets, and say how cold we are — at a “bone-chilling” temperature of 59F!

Hamilton is sparkling with decorations and lights, and now that Covid doesn’t dictate our behaviour, we greet our friends with the customary Bermudian hug.

We’re out shopping — after driving around the city looking for a parking place. The retailers greet us with smiles knowing that this is likely going to be the busiest time of year and, hopefully, allow them to continue trading in the months ahead.

It’s a time when families come together for wonderful meals, stories about the year we’ve had and plans for the new year.

Oh, how great it would be if this behaviour and attitude could prevail all year long. Well, we can all try, can’t we?

Merry Christmas to all and good wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

I’ve left out “prosperous”, as I think happy and healthy are the truly important things in life.

LIBBY MADEIROS

Devonshire